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Palin’s Incendiary “Blood Libel” Reference: Wrong Time, Wrong Place, Wrong Always

David Streeter — January 12, 2011 – 10:30 am | Election 2012 | Republicans Comments (4) Add a comment

The National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) today condemned Sarah Palin’s charged “blood libel” accusation,  released early Wednesday by video. NJDC President and CEO David A. Harris said upon hearing Palin’s statement:

Following this weekend’s tragedy, we—and many others—simply did two things: we prayed for our friend Gabby while keeping all of the murdered and wounded in our thoughts and prayers, and we talked in broad terms about our increasingly charged level of political debate—asserting that now is as good a time as any to look inward and assess how all of us need to dial back the level of vitriol and anger in our public square. Nobody can disagree with the need for both.

Instead of dialing down the rhetoric at this difficult moment, Sarah Palin chose to accuse others trying to sort out the meaning of this tragedy of somehow engaging in a “blood libel” against her and others. This is of course a particularly heinous term for American Jews,  given that the repeated fiction of blood libels are directly responsible for the murder of so many Jews across centuries—and given that blood libels are so directly intertwined with deeply ingrained anti-Semitism around the globe, even today.

Perhaps Sarah Palin honestly does not know what a blood libel is, or does not know of their horrific history; that is perhaps the most charitable explanation we can arrive at in explaining her rhetoric today.

All we had asked following this weekend’s tragedy was for prayers for the dead and wounded, and for all of us to take a step back and look inward to see how we can improve the tenor of our coarsening public debate. Sarah Palin’s invocation of a “blood libel” charge against her perceived enemies is hardly a step in the right direction.

Comments

Joe Barone | January 12, 2011 – 12:42 pm

My reading of this causes me to pray for President Obama as he speaks today. May he find words which promote peace and help comfort grieving families.

Cantor Penny Kessler | January 12, 2011 – 12:44 pm

Yashar koach.

Bob Barber | January 14, 2011 – 1:41 pm

Sara Palin’s lack of knowledge regarding the term “blood libel” is not unique. She does lack any intellectual curiosity, but that does not excuse her.

Her use of the term reinforces to us how we need to remind today’s world of the horrific past crimes against Jews everywhere.

Susan & Mel Goldberg | January 14, 2011 – 6:47 pm

Its time to stop fighting and help this country get back on its feet. Its not about a power struggle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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